Airflow Extinguishment of Burning Apparel Fabrics. Final Report.
Airflow Extinguishment of Burning Apparel Fabrics.
Final Report.
(1142 K)
Hibbard, B. B.; Krasny, J. F.; Braun, E.; Peacock, R. D.
NBSIR 81-2386; 39 p. December 1981.
International Council on Fabric Flammability. Annual
Meeting, 13th. December 1979, Atlanta, GE, 59-75 pp,
1979.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB82-165 267
Keywords:
air flow; fabric flammability; fabrics; fire
suppression; flame extinguishment; heat transfer;
polyesters; textiles
Abstract:
The heat output of a burning fabric, subjected to a
frontal airflow at various velocities, was measured
behind the burning face of the fabric. Twelve different
commerical fabrics were evaluated in this manner on the
Apparel Fire Modeling Apparatus (AFMA). When the fabric
burned to a given heat output, the selected level of
airflow was applied to the face of the burning fabric in
an attempt to extinguish the flame. Burn injury area,
maximum total heat, and time to extinguishment were
determined from AFMA data. The burning fabrics quickly
extinguished with an airflow of 213 meters per minute (8
mph) or less in all but one of the fabrics studied. The
one exception was an 85/15 cotton/polyester double
faced, terry cloth fabric where this and higher airflows
only increased the rate of burning. For the eight
fabrics investigated which contained cellulose, the
maximum total heat and burn injury area increased as
fabric weight increased. For most of the fabrics
studied, the total heat transferred to the simulated
body generally decreased with increasing air velocity.
Fabrics were classified into three groups based upon
these airflow extinguishment parameters.
